KMA to Support Redevelopment of Kumasi Zoo

By Sebastian R. Freiku

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is to support the redevelopment of the Kumasi Zoological Gardens to befit the city.

The Mayor of Kumasi, Osei Assibey Antwi, during a visit to inspect the zoo, announced that the KMA was soliciting the support of Contracta Engenharia Limited, contractor of the Kumasi Kejetia Redevelopment Project, to help redevelop the zoo and ensure the welfare of the animal species.

He said the zoo, situated directly opposite the reconstructed Kejetia, would need to conform to the modernity of the project, and help boost internal tourism.

The Manager, Dr. M. Y. Ziekah, said the Kumasi Zoo, established 60 years ago, has seen no major renovation works, hence, the structures, particularly the cages, needed to be renovated.

He cited flooding as a major challenge, as water flows into Subin River, which flows through the zoo.

According to him, the recent heavy rains trapped the wild animals when their cages were over flooded following the collapse of the zoo's wall.

He said, currently, the zoo is facing challenges which have affected the patronage of the facility.

According to him, annual patronage has dropped from 180,000 to 30,000, of which 80% are mostly school children.

Dr. Ziekah said a car park would be constructed to boost patronage, which is expected to be on the increase as soon as the Kejetia project is completed.

The Kumasi Zoo, which occupies 1.5 square kilometres area between the Kejetia Bus Terminal, the old race course and the Kumasi Centre for National Culture in the heart of the Ashanti regional capital, was established in 1957 by Dr. A.A.Y. Kyeremateng, who also founded the Kumasi Cultural Centre to create a venue for the reinforcement of Akan culture among the youth.

Story telling of Ananse stories became a feature at the Cultural Centre, for which the zoo became a natural extension of the activities of the p;ace, because young people could go to the zoo to see the very animals they were hearing about in the Ananse stories.

With about 60 different animal species on display, the first animals in the zoo included buffalo and chimpanzees, and a selection of Ghana's wildlife, including lions, elephants, primates, reptiles and birds.

Read Full Story